exercise

almost a year ago, i joined the ranks of many of my twenty-something peers and signed up for a gym membership. having graduated college only a few years prior, i was still dealing with the fact that i had a lot more free time than i knew what to do with. i spent much of that extra time preparing and eating delicious food so decided i could probably fit in some exercise to my schedule. at first, my trips to the gym went pretty well. i would go a couple of times a week before work. even if i didn't see many physical results, i felt better about myself knowing that i had spent time making myself healthier.

it wasn't long though, that those trips to the gym fell to only on the weekend, or only one morning per week. the truth of the matter is, i just don't enjoy exercising. don't get me wrong, i don't loathe it, but there is nothing fun about standing on a large piece of metal, repeating the same action over and over again for 30-45 minutes until it makes me physically uncomfortable. sure, listening to music can help with the boredom, as can watching one of the tvs that the gym provides for just this issue. but listening to music is more fun without heavy breathing getting in the way and watching tv is much easier while sitting on the couch.

even though the trips have started to dwindle, i still try to go. even if there is nothing appealing about actually going to the gym, the side effects make it worth it. there are no two ways about it, i feel better about myself after i have gone to the gym. i feel productive, less lazy, and more likely to do things with my day instead of wasting it away.

i've always made it clear that my goal in life is to be happy, and all decisions i make are based on whether i will be happy or not. i've learned, though, that immediate happiness is not the only thing i have to think about. sure, it would be easier to sit on the couch than go to the gym, but in the end, it is worth the momentary discomfort for the longer-lasting feeling of happiness with myself.